According to the current standard, flight recorders are generally rigidly connected to the aircraft, the flight data of which is to be recorded. In the case of a crash over bodies of water, these flight recorders sink together with the aircraft wreck to the bottom of the body of water. In order to recover the flight recorders, considerable efforts and a great deal of time are sometimes necessary, in particular in the case of deep bodies of water such as oceans.
To help in locating the flight recorders, underwater locating apparatuses can be used, which can periodically emit locating signals, which can be received and evaluated by locating systems such as locating ships, buoys or locating aircraft to simplify and accelerate the finding of the flight recorder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,492 B2 discloses, for example, a flight data recording apparatus of this type that is suitable for underwater, can record flight data and can transmit locating signals by means of an ultrasonic transducer after an aircraft crash below water.
In order to reach the flight data more quickly and more reliably, it may be possible to install communications devices in the flight recorder, which communications devices, even in the damaged state, can emit flight data from the bottom of the body of water for reception by a receiving system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,005,584 B1 discloses, for example, a flight data collection system of this type, from which flight data can be read out via of a communications system, when it is located underwater after aircraft damage.
However, there is a need for improved flight recorders and methods for communicating therewith, which provide a lower implementation outlay and extended communications possibilities with the flight recorder.